Government has been asked to assist over three million people in Malawi that will be badly affected with hunger this year.
Farmers Union of Malawi, Director of Research Policy and Partnerships, Dr. Candida Nankhumwa said this when a Farmers Union delegation from Malawi paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province Assistant Secretary, Royd Tembo.
The delegation is on a tour of the province headed by authorities from ZNFU, Zambia National Farmers Union in Chipata.
Dr. Nankhumwa says Malawi has been badly affected by the El’nino weather pattern which has led to poor rainfall pattern resulting in low crop yields this year.
Dr. Nankhumwa says the government of Malawi has already declared a state of emergency where three million people are going to be seriously hit with hunger.
And Farmers Union of Malawi President, Alfred Kapichila Banda says the hard working farmers in Malawi are lacking support from government as they sale their products to private companies.
Mr. Banda who commended the good relationship that the Zambian government has with its farmers says farmers in Malawi will now start processing their own crops and asked for machinery assistance from Eastern Province.
Meanwhile Eastern Province Assistant Secretary, Royd Tembo says the country will this year record another bumper harvest due to good rains.
He says the province has tightened security at the borders to curb maize and mealie-meal smuggling, adding that the issues raised by farmers union of Malawi will be looked into.